Friday, July 27, 2007

Vermont Vacation: Muddling through Middlebury

On my way to visit Michael at Twig, I drove through the town of Middlebury and, completely charmed by its quintessential New England village main street, made a note to stop on the way back and check it out. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain on the way back, I was tired and hungry and almost didn't stop. But I thought, "This is going to make a good post for the blog." So I parked and pulled my rain jacket and hood tight around me and ventured onto the street.

With a Congregational Church at the the top of the street, Middlebury is populated with local shops sporting all kinds of hockey t-shirts and tchotchkes (Middlebury College's women's hockey team has won three straight NCAA titles, and their men's team isn't too shabby, either), as well as restaurants, bookshops and a state arts and crafts store. Running through the middle is Otter Creek with it's spectacular falls, visible from several viewing platforms scattered along its banks.

But, as mentioned above, I was hungry and the rain was determined to find its way down my neck, so I started looking for someplace to get out of the weather. Walking back down the main street I peered down an alley and saw what looked like a restaurant hidden along the creekside and went to investigate. As I climbed the wooden stairs up to the doorway, there was a little sign that said Tully and Marie's, so I walked in and was greeted by what at first appeared to be an art-deco oceanliner that had gone aground on the banks of the creek just before it plunged over the falls.

They asked if I wanted to sit outside on their leafy covered deck, but I was more in the mood for warmth and comfort, so I was seated at a table for two on the lower level overlooking the creek. Ordering a cup of what turned out to be an excellent cream of mushroom soup along with crusty and crabby crab cakes with salad, I sat and watched the rain pelt down as I congratulated myself on finding this gem. Needless to say, on leaving I was in a much better frame of mind to get in the car and drive through the rain back to Burlington.